Novelty animal brooches had a real moment in 1930's Germany, part of a broader Art Deco appetite for jewellery that was witty and figurative rather than strictly geometric, and marcasite was the material of choice for exactly this kind of piece — cut steel pyrite, faceted to catch light much like a diamond at a fraction of the cost, ideal for covering a small sculptural form entirely without the expense getting out of hand. This fawn is worked in sterling silver and set with marcasite from head to tail, small enough to read as genuinely charming rather than heavy-handed.
Animal motifs of this kind sat comfortably alongside the more austere, architectural side of Art Deco design, proof that the movement had room for playfulness as well as precision. It's a nice example of how versatile the marcasite technique was — equally suited to a stark geometric brooch or, as here, something soft-eyed and sculptural.
Condition notes
Great vintage condition. Some of the marcasite stones on the back leg are a bit chipped.
